Operating mechanism for phonographs



2 S S A L G L (No Model.)

OPERATING MECHANISM FOR PHONOGRAPHS. No. 535,445.

Patented Mar. 12, 1895.

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L. GLASS. OPERATING MECHANISM FOR PHONOGRAPH'S. No. 535,445. Patented Mar. 12 1895.

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'- Nrrnn STATES; ATENT OFFrcE.

LOUIS GLASS, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

OPERATING MECHANISM FOR PHONOGRAPHS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 535,445, dated March 12, 1895.

Application filed February 16, 1894:. Serial No. 500,412. (No model.)

To on whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LOUIS GLASS, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Operating Mechanism for Phonographs; and I do hereby declare the following to he a full, clear,'and exact description of said invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it most nearly appertains to make, use, and practice the same.

The present invention has relation to certain new and useful improvements in the operating mechanism of phonographs, which consists in the arrangement of parts and details of construction as will be hereinafter more fully set forth in the drawings, described and pointed out in the specification.

My invention comprises a phonogram cylinder adapted to receive rotation from a coiled spring, an indicator being provided which moves with the spring and indicates the reserve force of the same, governor balls being mounted upon a shaft connected with the phonogram cylinder and adapted to maintain the unwinding of the spring at a uniform speed. Upon the shaft which carries the governor balls I mount a disk with which a friction lever controlled by a thumb screw is adapted to be brought into engagement to adjust the speed of unwinding of the spring.

The object of my invention is to so construct the drive mechanism that the phonograph may be run, for a length of time, say for an hour or more, with one winding of the spring mechanism, thus obviating the necessity of the operator rewinding the actuating mechanism each time the reproducer has traveled over the phonograph cylinder.

Referring to the drawings forming a part of this specification, wherein similar letters of reference denote corresponding parts throughout the entire specification and several views, Figure l, is a front view in elevation with casing of the phonograph removed. Fig. 2, is a top plan of the same; Fig. 3, an end elevation thereof; and Fig. 4, a detail of the speed regulating governor.

The letter A is used to indicate the top of the frame, to which is hinged the ordinary casing of aphonograph, not shown, within which are contained and work the phonogram cylinder and reproducer, the reproducer which plates I locate the driving mechanism hereinafter described.

Within the downwardly extending brackets, a, a, works the cross shaft A, one end of said shaft extending beyond the brackets a, and shaped to receive the crank A By means of this crank said shaft is rotated and as rotated the worm collar A secured thereon, engages with the pinion B and rotates the same in order to impart rotary motion to the vertical shaft B Upon this shaft is 10- through the drum as shown. The drum and shaft'I connect by means of the spring D, one end of which is fastened to theshaft and the other to the wall of the drum. Consequently as the shaft is rotated the spring is wound therearound. To this shaft, below the pinion B is secured the pinion D which pinion intermeshes with gear wheel E, fastened to the lower end of the sleeve E, which sleeve fits over the Vertical shaft E the sleeve carries a dial or indicator plate E Through the sleeve E, extends the vertical shaft E to the upper end of which is fastened the indicating finger F, while upon the lower end is secured the gear wheel F, which gear inter'meshes with the smaller gear or pinion F which forms a part of the shell F This shell is rigidly secured to the drum D, and through the same extends the shaft B The dial o'r indicator mechanism is used for the purpose of denoting whether the spring within the drum is wound or unwound and for this purpose the dial and finger have an independent movement. As the spring D, is

The upper end of 'cated the drum D, said shaft extending wound upon the vertical shft B by the rotation thereof, the dial is revolved by the action of the pinion D upon the gear E, the drum remaining stationary; while when the spring is unwound the drum D is revolved in the same direction as the shaft when winding the spring and the movement thereof is imparted to the shaft E in order to revolve the ind icator finger by the action of the pinion F carried by the drum, upon the gear F, which is rigidly fastened to the shaft E It will be observed that the dial is provided with numerals around its outer face. Consequently by merely noting the position of the indicator finger on the dial face the operator is enabled to ascertain how near the spring is to being run down. i

The upper plate of the drum is of greater diameter than the walls thereof and has teeth out in the periphery, thus forming a large gear wheel G, the teeth of which intermesh with the pinion G, secured to the vertical shaft G Consequently asrthe drum revolves the shaft is rotated through the medium of said pinion. Above this pinion there is secured the gear G which gear is rigid upon the shaft and rotates therewith. By means of this gear motion is imparted to the vertical shaft H, by reason of said gear intermeshing with pinion H, fixed thereon. Near the top of this shaft is secured the crown wheel 1-1 which engages with gear wheel H secured to shaft H and transmits the motion of shaft G2 thereto in order to revolve the belt wheel I, fastened on shaft H", which wheel is connected to belt wheel 1, by means of a belt not shown. The belt wheel I, being secured to the shaft B, causes the revolution of the phonogram cylinder. By transmitting the rotary motion of the spring actuated drum to belt wheel I, through the medium of a series of pinions, an increased speed is imparted to the phonogram cylinder. The shaft H works upon an adjustable bearing K, as shown.

To one side of the belt wheel I, is located the fulcrumed lever K, the arm of which carries a brake shoe 7a, which is adapted to engage with the wheel I, in order to stop the working of the machine by stopping the rotation of said belt wheel. The throwing on or off of thisbrake stops or starts the working of the machine.

Where the phonograph is used for home amusement or pleasure resorts my improved operating mechanism will be found of the utmost importance for the reason that after being once set in operation the machine may run for an hour, more or less, without requiring any attention on the part of the operator. By making the springsufficiently strong and properly regulating the speed of thediiferent gears and pinions, the phonograph may be made to run for days by one winding of the spring. Of course a weight may be made use of in the place of a spring with equally good result, but in this case the winding shaft must act- 7 as the drum. The speed of the phonograph is regulated by the governor L, which is connected with the shaft H By means of this governor the speed of the phonograph may be increased or decreased as desired. This governor is secured to the collars L, L the upper one of which is movable upon the vertical shaft L so as to slide up or down as the governor is thrown in or out by centrifugal force, while the lower one is rigidly fixed to the shaft. To the lower end of said shaft is secured the gear Wheel M, with which the crown wheel M meshes. This crown wheel is fixed to the shaft H and revolves therewith and imparts the motion thereof to shaft L through the medium of gear M. In this manner the governoris connected to shaft H To one side of the yoke N, which holds the vertical shaft L in position, is fulcrumed the lever N, the inner end of which carries the brake shoe 0, which shoe makes contact with disk 0, as the outer end of lever N, is raised. The disk 0, is rigidly fastened to shaft L and the pressure of the brake shoe thereon regulates the speed of the governor, which controls the entire mechanism.

The lever N, is raised or lowered by means of the thumb screw P.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure protection in by Letters Patent of the United States,

1. In a phonograph, the combination with the operating mechanism, of an indicator consisting of a dial and a finger or pointer above the dial independently connected with the operating mechanism whereby they will be non-simultaneously rotated in the same direction.

2. In a phonograph, the combination with the operating mechanism, of an-indicating device for denoting the reserve power of the operating mechanism, said device consisting of a movable dial and a movable indicating finger, mechanism for rotating the dial with the setting of the operating mechanism, and devices for rotating the finger with the movement of the operating mechanism.

3. In a phonogragh, the combination with a phonogram cylinder, of a coiled spring adapted in unwinding to impart rotation to said cylinder, an indicator moving with said spring and adapted to indicate the reserve force of the same, and governor balls mounted upon a shaft connected with said phonogram cylinder and adapted to maintain the unwinding of said spring at a uniform speed, substantially as described.

4. In a phonograph, the combination with a phonogram cylinder, of a coiled spring adapted in unwinding to rotate said cylinder, an indicator moving with said spring to indicate the reserve force thereof, governor the speed of unwinding of said spring, subballs mounted upon a shaft connected with stantially as described. 10 said phonogram cylinder and adapted to In testimony whereof I affix my signature maintain the unwinding of said spring at a in presence of two witnesses.

5 uniform speed, a friction disk mounted upon LOUIS GLASS. said shaft, and a friction lever controlled by Witnesses:

a thumb screw adapted to be brought into N. A. ACKER,

engagement with said'friction disk to adjust LEE D. CRAIG. 

